Package for fragile objects

ABSTRACT

A package for fragile objects, especially eggs, consisting of a container part and a cover part flexibly joined thereto, one of the parts comprising a number of pockets for the accomodation of the said objects, the pockets being arranged in at least two parallel rows, and supporting projections provided between the rows of pockets, while the other part has recesses corresponding to the said rows of pockets, and counter-projections between the recesses, that rest on the projections of the first part when one part is closed on the other, the counter-projections at their free ends being provided with a shoulder externally surrounding the supporting areas of the said projections.

[ Nov. 18, 1975 1 PACKAGE FOR FRAGILE OBJECTS [75] Inventor: Bent Moller, Vaerlose, Denmark [73] Assignee: Aktieselskabet Brodrene Hartmann, Lyngby, Denmark [22] Filed: Sept. 12, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 396,465

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 14, 1972 Germany 2245176 [52] US. Cl. 229/25 [51] Int. Cl. 365D l/00; B65D 81/16; B65D 85/32 [58] Field of Search 229/25, 29 M, 44 R; 217/255, 26.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,591,446 4/1952 Lennon 229/25 2,815,162 12/1957 Grant 229/25 2,885,136 5/1959 Grant 229/25 3,362,605 l/l968 Bixler 229/25 3,672,693 6/1972 Weir 229/25 X 3,741,461 6/1973 Hassing-Hansen 229/25 3,771,712 11/1973 Richards 229/25 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,114,834 5/1968 United Kingdom 229/25 Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath I Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Pennie & Edmonds [57] ABSTRACT A package for fragile objects, especially eggs, consisting of a container part and a cover part flexibly joined thereto, one of the parts comprising a number of pockets for the accomodation of the said objects, the pockets being arranged in at least two parallel rows, and supporting projections provided between the rows of pockets, while the other part has recesses corresponding to the said rows of pockets, and counterprojections between the recesses, that rest on the proje'ctions of the first part when one part is closed on the other, the counter-projections at their free ends being provided with a shoulder externally surrounding the supporting areas of the said projections.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 18,1975 Sheet10f3 3,920,178

Sheet 2 of 3 U.S. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 FIGZ.

US. Patent Nov. 18,1975 Sheet3of3 3,920,178

FIGS.

PACKAGE FOR FRAGILE OBJECTS The present invention relates to a package for fragile objects, especially eggs, consisting of a container part and a cover part flexibly jointed to the container part, one of the parts comprising a number of pockets for the accomodation of the said objects, the pockets being arranged in at least two parallel rows, as well as supporting projections provided between the rows of pockets, while the other part has recesses corresponding to the said rows of pockets, and counter-projections between the recesses, resting on the projections of the first part when the one part is closed on the other.

According to the invention the free ends of the counter-projections are provided with a shoulder which externally surrounds the supporting area of the projections. It is within the scope of the invention that the shoulder may be discontinuous in the direction of its circumference.

According to the invention such embodiment serves two purposes. When the package is closed the shoulders will keep the free ends of the supporting projections in place and center the cover on the projections, and secondly, the external wall portions of the shoulders may serve as areas supporting the objects accomodated in the package, thus contributing to keeping the objects in place, the said purpose being achieved in a space saving manner.

The invention is therefore particularly useful for sight packages of the type comprising a container and a cover flexibly jointed thereto, where the container has at least two parallel rows of pockets for the accomodation of objects, and projections rising between the rows of pockets, while the cover comprises at least two gable sections running parallel to the rows of pockets, and a lower cover section located between two adjacent gable sections and interconnecting the lower edges of opposite sides of adjacent gable sections, the said cover having a number of holes corresponding to the number of pockets in the container, the said holes being provided in the lower cover section and in the adjoining sides of the gable sections in such a way as to be positioned over the corresponding pockets in the said container when the cover is closed on the container.

When the package is closed the gable sections are located above the rows of pockets and a certain part of each object resting in the pocket becomes visible through its associated hole in the cover part, which part of the object may also be kept in place and limited by the hole rim, this being achieved by the package being so dimensioned that when it is closed the upper portion of the gable sections is located higher and the lower cover section is located lower than the upper part of the object, and by the gable sections being narrower than the said upper part of the objects.

In a package of this type according to the invention the counter-projections may form parts of the lower cover section, and their shoulders may according to the invention border adjacent holes. This results in a mutual anchoring of adjacent projections as well as in a fixation of the objects in direct vicinity of the hole rims. At the same time a satisfactory minimum size of the hole may be retained.

Details of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the insides of an open package constituting and embodiment according to the invention in the form of a sight package,

FIG. 2 shows the outsides of the same package, and

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged corner section of the package in a diagrammatic view.

The illustrated package consists of a container section 1 and a cover section 2, interconnected by a flexible joint 3 and adapted to accomodate eggs.

The container section has two parallel rows of egg pockets 4, in the example shown five in each row. Projections 5 in the form of hollow cones extend between the said rows delimiting the pockets and serving to support the cover section 2 when the latter is closed over the container section 1.

The cover section 2 has two parallel gable portions 6 extending parallel to the rows of pockets and positioned over the pockets when the package is closed, as shown in FIG. 3. A lower cover section 7 between the two gable portions 6 interconnects the lower edges of the opposite sides 6a of the gable portions. A number of inspection or sight holes 10 is provided for the eggs 9 and form incisions partly in the sides 6a of the gable portions and partly in the lower cover section 7. The number of holes 10 corresponds to the number of pockets 4. When the package is closed the holes are positioned opposite their pockets. In the example shown there are thus five holes 10 in each gable portion 6.

Especially from FIG. 3 it may furthermore be seen that the package is dimensioned so that the upper-portion of the gable portions 6 is located higher and the lower cover section 7 lower than the upper portion of any egg 9 in the package when the package is closed, and also that the gable portions 6 are narrower than the said part of the eggs.

Therefore a part of the eggs becomes visible in the holes when the package is closed, and it may protrude through the holes even to such an extent as to come into contact with the hole rims, the eggs thus being held in place.

The upwardly extending projections 5 are topped by upwardly facing abutment surfaces 11.

Between the gable portions 6 the cover section 2 is provided with counter-abutment surfaces 12 with areas 13 adapted to being supported by the areas 11. In the example shown the counter-abutment surfaces 12 form an integral part of the lower cover section 7 and incorporate a shoulders 14 peripherally surrounding the support areas 13 of the counter-abutment surfaces 12. In the example shown each shoulder 14 is continuous and forms a ring. However, it may also be discontinuous in the direction of its circumference.

Moreover it may be seen from the drawing that the shoulders 14 have outer surfaces bordering the adjacent holes 10. In the outer surface of the cover section 2 channels 15 are formed corresponding to the shoulders 14, and between the shoulders 14 the lower cover section 7 is provided with inwardly projecting connection ribs 16 which are of a height lower than that of the shoulders 14 and are matched by corresponding grooves 17 in the cover outside.

When the package is closed the support areas of the projections 5 and 12 are abutting each other, while the shoulder 14 of the counter-abutment surfaces 12 surrounds and fixes the free end of the supporting projections 5. At the same time the outside of the shoulders 14 forms an area 18 supporting that part of the eggs 9 protruding from the pockets 4.

According to the invention this arrangement is also useful for packages where the counter-abutment sur-' 1. Article revealing carton for fragile objects, partic ularly eggs, comprising a container section with a cover section hinged thereto, said container section having a plurality of article receiving compartments arranged in at least two parallel rows and also upwardly extending projections located between said rows of compartments, said cover section having at least two upwardly projecting gable portions extending parallel with the rows of compartments and a lower cover section located between two neighboring gable portions and interconnecting the lowermost edges of the opposed sides of the neighboring gable portions, a number of apertures being provided corresponding to the compartments in the container section, said apertures being formed in the lower cover section and the sides of the gable portions adjoining thereto, and being arranged so as to coincide with the respective compartments in the r container section when the cover section is closed thereon, the upwardly extending projectionsof the container section having upwardly facing abutment surfaces at the free ends thereof, the lower coversection of the cover section being provided with a number of counter-abutment surfaces corresponding to the abutment surfaces of the upwardly extending projections and being arranged so as to abut against said, latter 1,

abutment surfaces when the cover section is closed on the container section, the counter-abutment surfaces being parts of the lower cover section and being integral therewith by means of shoulders projecting beyond the counter-abutment surfaces at the periphery thereof edges of the apertures in the lower cover section, the shoulders having a channel-like cross section thus defining upwardly open channels in the upper surface of the lower cover section. 

1. Article revealing carton for fragile objects, particularly eggs, comprising a container section with a cover section hinged thereto, said container section having a plurality of article receiving compartments arranged in at least two parallel rows and also upwardly extending projections located between said rows of compartments, said cover section having at least two upwardly projecting gable portions extending parallel with the rows of compartments and a lower cover section located between two neighboring gable portions and interconnecting the lowermost edges of the opposed sides of the neighboring gable portions, a number of apertures being provided corresponding to the compartments in the container section, said apertures being formed in the lower cover section and the sides of the gable portions adjoining thereto, and being arranged so as to coincide with the respective compartments in the container section when the cover section is closed thereon, the upwardly extending projections of the container section having upwardly facing abutment surfaces at the free ends thereof, the lower cover section of the cover section being provided with a number of counter-abutment surfaces corresponding to the abutment surfaces of the upwardly extending projections and being arranged so as to abut against said latter abutment surfaces when the cover section is closed on the container section, the counter-abutment surfaces being parts of the lower cover section and being integral therewith by means of shoulders projecting beyond the counterabutment surfaces at the periphery thereof and with their inner surfaces bordering the counter-abutment surfaces, at least parts of the outer surfaces of the shoulders extending along at least a part of the edges of the apertures in the lower cover section, the shoulders having a channel-like cross section thus defining upwardly open channels in the upper surface of the lower cover section. 